A five minute cycle into the Pie de la Popa area of Cartagena, and I soon found a bicycle shop stocking good quality parts.

A new rear derailleur, cassette, 2 chains, brakes and rear hub maintenance saw me 100 pounds lighter, but a great deal happier. This little refit should see me good through to at least Santiago, Chile I hope… maybe even to the end of the trip.

Back to the hostel, and the others were getting ready to leave. I enjoyed our sailing trip together, and Roger in particular was a great guy who was easy to get along with, but in the end, I prefer cycling through the smaller towns than constantly hanging out in the backpacker centres. Travelling in a group has its benefits of companionship and economy, but it also has its drawbacks in its hesitations, group decisions and delays. Besides, it was time to go to the mall and visit McDonalds…. Yay !!